Iraqi troops have been spotted between U.S. and Iraqi lines wearing full chemical outfits, hoods, gloves and boots, U.S. officials familiar with military planning and intelligence said. This gear would allow them to survive on a battlefield where chemical weapons were employed.

Some were also seen unloading 50-gallon drums off trucks. U.S. intelligence is unsure what is in the drums, but officials are concerned.

I wonder why they'd be actually wearing them? Curious about the content of the drums also....

I'm NOT saying this is the reason.... only that it is a remote possibilty and that there could be many reasons why they have chemical suits.

Bush Approves Use of Tear Gas in Battlefield

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0402-01.htm

If we do use Tear Gas on Iraqi troops, I'm all for it... It is non-lethal.

PhinPhan1227

04-02-2003, 12:45 PM

The people opposed to this are NUTS!! Would they prefer that we fire through the civilians they are using as human shields?

WharfRat

04-02-2003, 01:23 PM

Originally posted by Sniper
I'm NOT saying this is the reason.... only that it is a remote possibilty and that there could be many reasons why they have chemical suits.

Bush Approves Use of Tear Gas in Battlefield

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0402-01.htm

If we do use Tear Gas on Iraqi troops, I'm all for it... It is non-lethal.

While gas masks would come in handy against tear gas (part of our training was to stand in a room filled with it, take your mask off, and spell your name phonetically before leaving)... tear gas certainly does not warrent the use of a full suit...

PhinPhan1227

04-02-2003, 02:17 PM

Originally posted by WharfRat
While gas masks would come in handy against tear gas (part of our training was to stand in a room filled with it, take your mask off, and spell your name phonetically before leaving)... tear gas certainly does not warrent the use of a full suit...

Lol....a little burning and itching certainly shouldn't bother people who live in a freakin desert!!

Sniper

04-02-2003, 02:45 PM

Originally posted by WharfRat
While gas masks would come in handy against tear gas (part of our training was to stand in a room filled with it, take your mask off, and spell your name phonetically before leaving)... tear gas certainly does not warrent the use of a full suit...

Good point. Here's a webpage that sort of relates to this thread's topic.

reasons:http://cns.miis.edu/research/cbw/possess.htm

Sniper

04-02-2003, 02:49 PM

Anything is possible. There could be many possibilities for their motives for having these.

http://cns.miis.edu/research/wmdme/map.htm

PhinPhan1227

04-02-2003, 03:02 PM

Lol...and it's also possible that they're wearing chemical suits because they prevent the aliens from reading their minds. If we want to play the odds however, it's MUCH more likely that those suits are part of the SOP for deploying chem/bio weapons.

Sniper

04-02-2003, 03:09 PM

Originally posted by PhinPhan1227
Lol...and it's also possible that they're wearing chemical suits because they prevent the aliens from reading their minds. If we want to play the odds however, it's MUCH more likely that those suits are part of the SOP for deploying chem/bio weapons.

Have you actually read the Iraqi chemical/biological weapons SOPs? Do you have knowledge that these even exist? If so, I'm sure the U.N. security council would love to hear from you. I have heard that they have been looking for real evidence :rolleyes:

PhinPhan1227

04-02-2003, 03:24 PM

Originally posted by Sniper
Have you actually read the Iraqi chemical/biological weapons SOPs? Do you have knowledge that these even exist? If so, I'm sure the U.N. security council would love to hear from you. I have heard that they have been looking for real evidence :rolleyes:

Lol....SOP for NBC is SOP. If you deploy the weapons, you use the suits. If you have a serious risk of coming under fire from those weapons, you use the suits. Iraq isn't facing a single enemy who has ever deployed chem/bio weapons. They ARE however a country that HAS deployed chem/bio weapons. As I said Snippy, it's within the realm of possibility that they're afraid the Easter Bunny will drop rabbit turds soaked in a blistering agent on thier troops. But it's much more likely that they're trying to deploy the chem/bio weapons that they've used in the past. Also, try to bear in mind that BOTH the US and Israel have conventional weapons which they WOULD deploy which are much more destructive than any chem weapon. We don't NEED to use those weapons.

PhinPhan1227

04-02-2003, 03:40 PM

Originally posted by Sniper
Seriously, are you saying that you read U.S. Army SOPs for these weapons or are aware that they have these SOPs?

I'm saying that I've recieved NBC training FROM the Army. And part of that training is in the weapons behavior, and how the enemy has to react when deploying them. We're not talking about training in how to deploy the ACTUAL weapon. We're talking about the SOP for protecting yourself from NBC weapons, and it's the same procedure for the people deploying those weapons as it is for those on the recieving end of them. No BS, that's expicitely stated in the training.

Sniper

04-02-2003, 03:45 PM

Originally posted by PhinPhan1227
I'm saying that I've recieved NBC training FROM the Army. And part of that training is in the weapons behavior, and how the enemy has to react when deploying them. We're not talking about training in how to deploy the ACTUAL weapon. We're talking about the SOP for protecting yourself from NBC weapons, and it's the same procedure for the people deploying those weapons as it is for those on the recieving end of them. No BS, that's expicitely stated in the training.

OK. Sounds reasonable.

Still, how do you account for the fact that these suits might be for protection from Iraq's hostile neighbors, like Iran? (This is a reasonable question to ask)

Sniper

04-02-2003, 03:54 PM

Just so youknow... In a way, I'm just busting your chops. I do think he has them, but I also still think most countries have them... I do like to play "Devil's Advocate."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,1280,-2528742,00.html

PhinPhan1227

04-02-2003, 04:01 PM

Originally posted by Sniper
OK. Sounds reasonable.

Still, how do you account for the fact that these suits might be for protection from Iraq's hostile neighbors, like Iran? (This is a reasonable question to ask)

That would be a completely reasonable argument, except for the small fact that so far Iran has been SELLING weapons to Iraq, not deploying weapons into Iraq. And I know you're not dumb enough to believe the "Israel angle" you keep proposing, and have been for the most part presenting the disenting opinion. Heck, that's probably why this thread has remained so civil:lol: :tongue: :lol: